The Lagunas de Chacahua national park lies about 70 kilometres west of Puerto Escondido along the Oaxacan coast, reached by boat across a series of interconnected lagoons. The park protects one of Mexico's most important mangrove ecosystems, an enormous complex of salt marshes, freshwater lagoons, and isolated beaches where few roads reach.
Getting there is part of the experience. Lanchas (motorboats) leave from the village of Zapotalito and take you through the mangroves, past bird-lined channels, and out to the remote beach village of Chacahua. The village has basic accommodation and seafood restaurants. Wildlife includes crocodiles, dolphins occasionally visible offshore, and an extraordinary range of birds. The beach on the ocean side is wild and mostly empty, backed by coconut palms.